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- J. B. GQDON ATO.@ LIQUID SUPPLY SYSTEM.

- No. 570,844. Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

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J. B. G. DONATO. LIQUID SUPPLY SYSTEM.

No. 570,844. Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

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J. B. G. DONATO. LIQUID SUPPLY SYSTEM.

No. 570,844. Patented NOV. 3, 1896.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BATISTE GUSTAVE DONATO, OF OPELOUSAS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-TENTH TO CORNELIUS DONATO AND THEOPHILE S. FONTENOT,

OF SAME PLACE.

LIQUID-SUPPLY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,844, dated November3, 1896.

Application filed August 22, 1895.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN BATISTE GUSTAVE DONATO, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Opelousas, in the parish of St. Landry and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLiquid-Supply Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for lifting liquids ofany description; and it consists in an apparatus so constructed andarranged that liquids may be lifted by exhausting the air from areservoir without the entry of any of the liquid so raised into the saidreservoir, and also whereby different kinds of liquid may be lifted byone common reservoir from which the air has been exhausted and may bedelivered independently or simultaneously into one or more receptacles.

The said invention is intended especially 2 5 to cover certainimprovements upon my Patent No. 536,858, granted April 2, 1895.

r The said invention also consists in certain novel features hereinafterdescribed and claimed. 7

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same partsare indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents diagrammatically and in elevation an apparatusadapted to lift two kinds of liquids and constructed in accord ance withmy invention. Fig. 2 represents a similar view showing diagrammaticallymy improved system for use in hotels or facto- 0 ries where only onekind of water is to be lifted. Fig. 3 represents a section through adelivery-cock adapted for use in my apparatus; and Fig. 4 representsdiagrammatically my apparatus as applied to pumping and delivering Waterand then taking up again and draining off the water so delivered, andwhile it shows the apparatus as applied for the purposes of irrigationand drainage it will be obvious that the second step may be to lift thewater higher than it is lifted by Serial No. 560,096. (No model.)

the first step and that by the simple multiplication'of parts water maybe lifted to any desired height by means of a single reservoir fromwhich the air has been exhausted.

Referring now especially to Fig. 1, A represents the air-chamber, fromwhich the air is exhausted through the pipe (0 by means of the pump B,driven bya gearing (3, connected to the windmill O. Any other source ofpower for exhausting the chamber A may be adopted, such, for instance,as a hand-lever C for operating the pump B, (shown in Fig. 2,) but Iprefer a windmill, because the apparatus is of such a nature that therequired energy may be stored up for an indefinite period, and hence theadvantages of a windmill whose energy, developed while the wind blew,could be stored up for subsequent use. This air-chamber A is preferablyprovided with a pressure-gage a, and may also be provided with asafety-valve a adapted to open inwardshould the external pressure becometoo great, but this would not be required under-ordinary conditionsunless an extremely large and weak air-chamber was used or unless it wasdesired to lift the liquids only through a short distance, since underthe best conditions the external pressure would v never be greater thanfifteen pounds to the square inch. 80

Instead of exhausting the air by pumping it out it may be driven out bya jet of steam from any suitable steam supply, (not shown,) and thedesired vacuum may then be produced by condensing the steam in themanner well-known in that class of pumps known as steam and vacuumpumps.

The air-chamber A is connected, by means of an exhaust-pipe D, to aplurality of suction-pipes D and D which are connected to the upperportion of any desired number of liquid-chambers E, as by means of thepipes d, which are controlled by the valves d The number of thesesuction-pipes D and D may be varied from one to any multiple thereof, 95and the number of liquid-chambers may be increased or decreased, asdesired. The lower orifice of the pipe d is closed by a suitable floator valve operated by a float, such as the ball (I in the wire frame (1,the said valve roe/.7

risingand closing the bottom of the pipe d when the water or otherliquid in the liquid chamber reaches the desired height. The function ofthis float-valve will be hereinafter explained.

Atmospheric air is admitted into the liq uidchamber when it is desiredto draw off a part or all of the contents thereof by means of anair-cock F, which air-cock may be mounted either on the liquid-chamberitself, as shown .in Fig. 4 at the left of the said figure, or may beconnected to either of the pipes leading into the said chamber andbetween the said chamber and the check-valve on the pipe, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2; or the arrangement for admitting air may be included inthe d ra wing-off cock, as shown at H in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, where thesaid cock is provided with a liquid-passage h and an air-passage 7L2,the latter of which terminates at a point 7L3 at a higher level than theorifice of the liquid-passage. B y means of this construction air flowsinto the liquid-chamber while water flows out, and if a vessel V beplaced beneath the orifice it will be filled until the level v of theliquid covers the orifice ha of the air-inlet, when the air will ceaseto low in and the liquid will either cease altogether from flowing outor the outflow will be greatly diminished, due to atmospheric pressureon the surface 1 and the partial vacuum in the liquid-chamber.

\Vherc cocks such as that shown in Fig. 3 are used, the air-cock F maybe omitted, as will be noted with those liquid-chambers indicated by E.

The various liquid-chambers E or E are connected to the sources ofliquid supply V and W by the pipes K and K. These pipes are providedwith branch pipes 7& opening into the liquid-chamber, which arecont-rolled by valves 71:.

I11 Fig. 2 only one source of liquid supply is shown, while in Fig. 1two such sources are shown, but the connections may be made to anydesired number of liquid sources, and some of the liquid-chambers may beconnected to two or more of the said liquid sources, while others may beconnected to only one of the said sources of liquid supply. Thus in Fig.l the liquid-chamber E is connected to the two sources of Water supply,while the other three chambers are connected to one source only. Inpractice each chamher would be connected to each source of water supply,but the connections are shown as in Fig. 1 for the sake of clearness inthe drawings.

In practice, as in a hotel, there would be at least two sources of watersupply connected to each liquid-chamber, the one for hot and the otherfor cold water, while a third source of water supply might be providedfor saltwater, and so 011.

The liquid is drawn into the pipes K or K, as the case may be, by thevacuum existing in the various liquid chambers which are connected tothe exhausted air-chamber, and

at the same time air is drawn into the pipe K or K by means of theair-inlet it, placed above the float L, as described in my patentaforesaid, or through a separate air-tube M, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, andt, which air-tube projects above the level of the liquid and connectswith a small orifice in the pipe K or K, as the case may be. Thesefeedwater pipes are preferably provided with strainers 71;.

In the device shown in Fig. 4 fluid is pumped from the source of liquidsupply W into the liquid-chamber E, whence it is delivered by means ofthe pipe H controlled by the valve 71 to the field to be irrigated, fromwhich it is drawn by means of the pipe K into the chamber E from whichit is discharged by means of the pipe 11*, controlled by the valve 71.3.This liquid-chamber E is connected by the pipe D to the air-chamber A,from which the air is exhausted by means of the pump B, operated by anysuitable source of power. (Not shown.)

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 the chamber E and the air-chamber A maybe placed at any desired or convenient height, and the chamber E shouldpreferably be no higher than the maximum lift of water required, or thechamber E maybe placed at a considerably higher level than the chamberE, and the liquid may be sucked from the lower to the higher chamber onestep at a time, and so on for more than two liquid-chambers, whereby theliquid may be drawn to any desired elevation.

The operation of the device is generally similar to that described in mypatent aforesaid, but the operation of the entire apparatus will beunderstood by describing in detail the manner of filling up andemptying,

theliquid-chambers E and E of Fig. 1. That air-chamber A having beenexhausted in the usual way, suppose all the valves in the ap paratus tobe closed. In order to fill the liquid-chamber E, open the valve 61 andthe valve k in the pipe opening into said chamber E. The chamber E beingfilled with air, this air will be drawn through the pipes d, D, and Dinto the air-chamber A, causing a partial vacuum to occur in the chamberE. This vacuum will cause the atmospheric pressure to force water intothe pipe K from the source of liquid supply V and also air through theair-inlet M. The globules of air drawn in will act like small pistonsbetween corresponding pistons of water, the whole forming a column ofalternate lengths of air and water in the pipe K, and this air and waterwill flow into the chamber E, the water remaining in the said chamberand the air being drawn ofi from the top thereof by means of the pipe(1. As soon as the water has risen in the chamber E to the desiredheight the float-valve (1 will automatically shut the pipe cl, and theinflux of air and water into the chamber E will cease. At the same timethe drain on the energy stored up in the air-chamber A will cease, so

that no unnecessary work will be expended after the liquid-chamber E isfilled to the desired height. Now in order todraw off the water fromthis chamber, close the valves and d and open the cock II. Air will flowin and water will flow out through this cock, as shown in detail in Fig.3, and when the liquid-chamber is empty it may be refilled in the manneralready described. I11 the same way the chamber E maybe filled byopening the valve d and one or both of the valves k which control thepassage to the pipe K and K, respectively. In this way it will be seenthat the liquid-chamber E may be filled with liquid from either of thesources of water supply or with a mixture of the two liquids, as mightbe desired. In order to withdraw the liquid from the chamber E after ithas been filled to the desired level, close all the valves connected tothe said chamber, open the aircock F, and then the liquid may be readilydrawn off through the cock H.

In order to avoid loss of power due to negligence in closing theair-cocks F, these cocks should preferably be so connected to the valvesopening into the suction-pipe that the passage to the suction-pipe maybe closed when air is admitted to the liquid-chamber, and vice versa.This function, which may be obtained in a great variety of ways, isautomatically secured by the use of the draincock shown in Fig. 3.

In order to prevent the failure of the apparatus to operate due tonegligence in leaving one of the valves 70 open while the correspondingliquid-chamber is open to the air, check-valves k may be provided in thewaterpipes, preferably in the form of balls, as shown in Fig. 1.

Among the many advantages possessed by this system are the following:

The power offered is that due to atmospheric pressure, which isessentially constant, and if the vacuum-chamber be made air-tight thispower may be stored up for an indefinite period, to be used whendesired. This is of special importance in cold and also in hot climateswhen it is desired to keep the watersupply pipes ordinarily clear ofwater and yet to have the power readily available for lifting the saidwater when desired. The herein-described system therefore is eminentlyadapted for storing up energy regardless of heat or cold and absolutelywithout danger either to the apparatus or to the persons operating thesame. Again, the supply and expenditure of energy may be very readilycontrolled. Thus it is possible to use a large or a small pump toexhaust the vacuumchamber and yet to obtain a steady flow of liquidwhenever desired. Moreover, by pumping air only it is possible to arriveat the desired sum-total of energy by using the available force for alonger time and with less loss due to friction and other causes inexhausting the vacuum-chamber than if water or pump.

In all apparatus of the kind herein described it will only be necessaryto have one vacuum-chamber and one air-pump or other means forexhausting the said vacuum-chamber. It will be obvious that the air-pipeconnections to the vacuum-chamber may be run any distance and that theWater may be delivered in one place, as from a spring, and theair-pumpat another place, as by a waterfall, any distance, even miles, away.

The herein-described apparatus may be readily used for bath-houses tosupply hot or cold fresh or salt water or the like, all operated by onereservoir and drawing water from a fresh source, this at the will of thebather and without the constant running of pumps.

It will also be obvious that the apparatus is especially adapted for usein sugar-houses, sugar-refineries, breweries, and other manufactoriesWhere a large number of different kinds of liquids are to be pumped fromone reservoir into another.

Many of the various other advantages and uses of the herein-describedapparatus will readily suggest themselves to any practical mind.

It will be obvious that many modifications of the herein-describedapparatus might be other liquid were being passed through the made whichcould be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A liquid-supply system comprising an air-chamber, and means fordiminishing the pressure of the air in the same, suction-pipes connectedto said air-chamber, a plurality of ICO liquid-chambers connected tosaid suctionpipes, a float-valve in each of said liquidchambers, andadapted to shut off the suction-pipe when the level of the liquid risesto a predetermined height in the liquid-chamber, and liquid-supply pipesleading from a source of liquid supply to the said liquid-chambers,

substantially as described.

2. A liquid-supply system comprising an air-chamber, and a windmill andair-pump operated thereby for diminishing the pressure of the air in thesame, a plurality of liquidchambers, suction-pipes connecting saidairchamber and said liquid-chambers, a floatvalve in each of saidliquid-chambers, and adapted to shut off the suction-pipe when the levelof the liquid rises to a predetermined height in the liquid-chamber, andliquid-supply pipes leading from a source of liquid supply to the saidliquid-chambers, substantially as described.

3. A liquid-supply system comprising an air-chamber, and means fordiminishing the pressure of the air in the same, a plurality ofsuction-pipes connected to said air-chamber, a plurality ofliquid-chambers connected to said suction-pipes, a float-valve in eachof said liquid-chambers, and adapted to shut off the suction-pipe whenthe level of the liquid rises to a predetermined height in theliquidchamber, a plurality of liquid-supply pipes leading from aplurality of sources of liquid supply to the said liquid-chambers, andmeans for admitting air into and drawingliquid from each of saidliquid-chambers, substantially as described.

4. A liquid-supply system comprising an air-chamber, and means fordiminishing the suction-pipes connected to said air-chamber, a pluralityof liquid-chambers connected to said suction-pipes, a float-valve ineach of said liquid-chambers, adapted to shut 0d the having a longerliquid-passage and a shorter air-passage therein for drawing liquid from1 said liquid chamber, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature l in presence of twoWitnesses. pressure of the air in the same, a plurality of JOHN BATISTEGUSTME DONATO;

Witnesses:

G. BAILLIO, W. W. BAILEY.

